Bun slicing machine



Feb. 22, 1938. R. R. SPRINGER 2,109,438

BUN SLICING MACHINE INVENl-'on ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1938.

R. RSPRlNGER BUN SLICING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITEDISTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,109,438` BUN sLIcING MAoHINE Robert R. Springer, Harrison, Ark., assignor of one-half to William W. McKinney, Harrison, Ark.

Application November 14, 1936., Serial No. 110,936

4 Claims. (Cl. 146-72) i This invention relates to machines for slicing Figure 6 is a detail perspective View of one of buns, rolls, cake and the like and has for an ob; the wedge rods for adjusting the discs vertically ject to provide concentric rotary discs one of which with respect toV each other. Y

is canted with respect to the other so that the Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the com- 5, buns or the like may be fed into themachine at a panion wedge rod for adjusting the discs ver,-

point between the discs where the discs are spaced tically.

widely apart and carried by the discs to a point Figure Sis'a side elevation of the delivery belt Where the space between the discs is narrow at with parts in section.

which point the traveling bun is interceptedby a Figure 9l is a'detail sectional View taken on 10 reciprocatory knife and cut thereby entirely the line 9-S of Figure through, after which operation the halved bun is Figure l0 is a perspective View, drawn to redelivered from the machine at a point where the duced scale, of the bottom bearing frame for the discs are wide apart. Consequently the bun is shaft.

only clamped firmly by the discs While being cut Referring now to the drawings in` which like by the knife and is free during the remainder of characters oi reference designate similar parts in its journey and thus will not be'crushed or disthe variousviews, the machine is shcwnto comtorted in any manner from its normal condition prise a bed plate Ifrcm which rise legs II, pref-l during its passage through the machine. erably three in number, to the upper ends of which A further object is to provide novel means for is bolted a substantially triangular frame having 2o simultaneously adjusting the superposed discs side bars l2, I3 and i4 and a center bar I5 whichV vertically in opposite directions to accommodate latter is provided with a bearing I6 for the upper the machine to operate upon buns of different end of a shaft Il. A frame i8, shown best in thicknesses, as wellas cakes and other baked Figure l0, and similar to the frame just described,

goods. j is secured to the legs II and isV provided with a A further object of the invention is to provide bearing I9 for. the shaft Il. v

a machine of thischaracter which will be formed A pair of superposed discs 2D and 2l are mountof a few strong simple and durable parts, which ed concentrically upon the shaft I'I. The upper will be inexpensive to manufacture and operate, surface of the lower disc is in the form of a com' and which will not easily get out of order. paratively ilat cone. The upper disc 253 is canted 3o WithV the above and other objects in view the on the shaft, that is, is arranged at anangle to invention consists of certain novel details of conthe shaft, Which angle iS aDDlOXmately the Same structionV and combinations of parts hereinafter as the angular inclination of the conical upper fully described and claimed, it being understood Surface oi the lower disc 2l so that, as best shown that various modifications may be resorted to in Figure 2, the discs 2i] and 2l are spaced comwithin the scope of the appended c1aimswithout paratively Wide apart at cnc end of the machine departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the and at a diametrically opposite point the Space advantages of the invention. between the discs is comparatively narrow.

In the accompanying drawings forming part As a result of this construction` thevbuns or of this specification, other baked material may be fed'between the discs 40 Figure l is a plan View of a bun slicing maat a point where the discs are widely spaced apart chine constructed in accordance with the invenand willbe carried around wedged between the tion, discs at the point where the discs are nearest to- Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine gether so that the bun is held rmly only momenshown in Figure 1. tarily While being cut by the knife' as will be Figure 3 is a cross sectional-view taken on the presently deSClibed.. and during the remainder line 3-3.of Figure 1 showing the shaft anddiscs 0f its path from entering the machine to leavadjustably mounted thereon. ing the machine will not be grippedY by the discs Figure 4 is al cross sectional view taken on and consequently cannot be crushed or distorted the line 4 4 ofFigure 2 showing one of the three in any manner.

ball tipped spring pressed pins which determine The shaft Il is power driven by an electric the cant or inclination of the upper disc with remotor 22 which is mounted on the bed plate I0. spect to the lowerV disc. The motor is connected toa countershaft 23 by a Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken on reduced belt drive 24 and the countershaft is the line 5-5 of Figure 2 showing the reciprocatconnected by a reducing belt driveV 25 to the` sa". ingV knife and its moimtings. shaft 26 of a reducing motion transmission mech- 2 anism 21 of conventional type which in turn is connected to the bottom of the shaft l1 and rotates the shaft.

The cant of the upper disc preferably three ball tipped pins one of which is shown in Figure 4l. Two of the pins 28 and 29, are of the same length, and the pin Sil is a short pin, as shown in Figure 2, and all three pins simultaneously are urged downwardly upon the upper disc by expansion springs 3 l. The two long pins are positioned on the upper triangular frame in such manner as to be on opposite sides of the hereinafter described knife 32, as best shown in Figure l, while the short pin 30 is disposed on the upper triangular frame approximately` in prolongation of the knife.

A contraction spring 33 is fixed to the upper disc 28 and is fixed to an adjustable collar 34 on the shaft and this spring tends constantly to pull the disc up against the pins 28, 29 and 35. The long pins 28 and 29 and the short pin 35, disposed relatively to each other as above described, form stops which cause the upper disc 20 to assume a cant on the shaft and slope from the short pin 3G downwardly toward the long pins 28 and 29 and thus provide for the wide spacing apart of the discs at the intake and discharge ends of the machine and the close spacing of the discs at the reciprocating knife for the purpose above described.

The knife 32 is a thin blade with a wavy cutting edge, the blade being secured at one end to a rod 35, as best shown in Figure 6, which is mounted to reciprocate in a casing 35 dispose-d on the upper end of a short leg 31 which rises from the bed plate i0 as best shown in Figure 2. The knife is reciprocated by means of a shaft 38 which is connected by a belt drive 39 to the countershaft 23. The shaft enters the casing 35 and is connected by a crank 45 and pitman di to the rod 35.

The opposite end of the knife is connected to a rod i2 which is slidably fitted in an elongated cylindrical housing 43 that is provided at one end with a laterally disposed ball bearing assembly 45 that receives the shaft l1 as best shown in Figure 3. The opposite end of the housing is fixed to the side of one of the legs Ii as best shown in Figures 2 and 5. A spring l5 is concealed in the housing, one end of the spring being connected to the rod 42 and the other end of the spring being adjustably secured in the housing by means of a threaded pin 45 and a nut 41 so that the tension of the spring may be regulated.

The knife 32 is disposed substantially midway between the upper disc 2i) and the lower disc 2i and extends parallel with the upper disc 2E, as best shown in Figure 2. The purpose of the spring 65 is to maintain the knife taut.

The superposed discs' 22 and 2l are mounted on the shaft l1 for rotation as a unit and also are mounted on the shaft for vertical adjustment relative to each other to permit of various sizes of buns, cakes and the like being received between the discs. The upper disc 2li is attached to the shaft as previously stated by the spring 33. The lower disc 2l is attached to the shaft by means of a pin i5 which extends through a vertical slot 41 in the shaft to permit vertical adjustment of the disc. A helical spring 45 is seated in a recess 49 in the upper surface of the disc and abuts a collar` 55 formed on the shaft. The spring is normally under tension and tends constantly to urge the disc 2| downwardly, for the purpose of 20 is determined by 28, 23 and 30,

moving the disc downwardly simultaneously lwith upward movement of the upper disc 20 when the discs are being adjusted vertically by mechanism which will now be described.

A rod 5I is slidably mounted in a counterbore formed in the upper end of the shaft and is connected to the pin d@ which secures the lower disc 2l to the shaft so that the rod rotates as a unit with the lower disc. The rod is normally held in a predetermined position but when released from this position will permit the spring 48 of the disc 2! to move the disc downward. When the rod is returned to normal position the disc 2l will be moved upward by the rod and pin 45.

For moving the ball tipped pins 28, 29 and 30 upward to permit the upper disc 25 to move upwardly and simultaneously releasing the rod 5| so that the lower disc can be moved downwardly by its spring 48, a pair of wedge rods 52 and 53, shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7, are employed. The wedge rod 52 is mounted to slide in bearings 54 that rise from the legs I4 of the upper triangular frame as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The rod is slid forwardly and backwardly by a hand wheel 55 having a screw thread connection with a threaded end 5B on the rod. The hub 51 of the hand wheel is grooved as shown at 58 to receive a finger 5S carried by a collar 663 that is yfixed to the triangular frame. Thus when the wheel is rotated manually the wedge rod 52 is moved endwise through the wheel.

Wedges 6l and 62, best shown in Figure 6, are spaced apart on the rod 52 and are aligned with each other. A third wedge G3 extends from the rod in a plane at a right angle to the wedges 6I and 52. The wedges 5l and B2 fit in bifurcated upper ends 63 and Gd of the short ball tipped pin 3G and the long ball tipped pin 2t, respectively,

best shown in Figure l. Wedges 65 and 55, shown best in Figures 2 and 4 are carried by the branches of the bifurcated upper ends of the ball tipped pins and confront the wedges Si and 62.

Consequently when the wedge rod 52 is shifted endwise in one direction the ball tipped pins just mentioned will be moved upwardly by the wedges 5l and 52 and when the rod is shifted in the opposite direction the wedges permit the ball tipped pins to be pressed downward by their controlling springs 3|.

The wedge rod 53 is mounted to slide endwise in guides 51 carried by the center bar I5 of the upper triangular frame, as shown in Figure l.

r1"he end of the rod 53 is bifurcated, as shown at SS to straddle the lateral wedge 63 of the companion wedge rod 52, as shown in Figure 1. A wedge 59 is carried by the bifurcated end of the wedge rod 53 and bears upon the wedge 63, as also shown in Figure l, so that when the manually movable wedge rod 52 is moved endwise the wedge rod 53 will `be moved by the coacting wedges 53 and S9 in one direction and when the manually movable wedge rod 52 is moved in the other direction a spring 1%, connected to the wedge rod 53 and to the triangular frame, moves the wedge rod 53 in the opposite direction.

A wedge 1i on the wedge rod 53 coacts with a wedge 12, shown best in Figure 2, on the bifurcated upper end of the remaining long ball tipped pin 29, to move said pin simultaneously with the movement of the other ball tipped pins when the wedge rod 63 is shifted in either direction as presently explained so that the height of the upper disc 22 above the lower disc can be adjusted.

By again referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that a pair of wedge ears 13 extend from the Wedge rod 53 and receive between them the shaft which rotates both discs, as best shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 4, a collar M is loosely mounted on the shaft 5l so that it does not turn on the shaft, and is provided with wedge faces which slidably fit the wedge ears i3. A collar 'i6 is pinned to the shaft as shown at 'H and rotates with the shaft and ball bearings 'i8 are disposed between the rotating collar 'i6 and loose collar 'M carrying the wedge faces.

It will be seen that when the Wedge rod 53 is shifted to present the low ends of the wedge ears 'I3 to the collar 'iii the latter will recede downwardly permitting the spring 48 of the lower disc 2l to force the disc 2l downwardly simultaneously with the movement of the ball tipped pins upwardly so that the vertical distance apart of both discs will be increased. When the wedge rod 53 is shifted to present the high ends of the wedge ears to the collar 54 the latter will be elevated and will pull up the rod 5i and through the instrumentality of the pin 4S will move the lower disc 2l upwardly simultaneously with downward movement of the upper disc by advance of the ball tipped pins thereagainst, to adjust the discs vertically with respect to each other.

The buns 18 to be halved are supplied through a trough 'i9 to the space between the discs at the point where the discs are widest apart. The buns are carried around in a clockwise direction and are gripped by both discs where the discs are nearest to each other, and carried past the reciprocating knife which cuts the buns or other baked articles completely therethrough. From the knife the severed buns or other articles are carried to a delivery belt 80.

The delivery belt 8 is provided with pulleys 8| which are carried by a bar 82 that is secured at one end to a shaft 33, best shown in Figure 8. The shaft is pivotally mounted on a bracket 84. A spring 85 is connected to the shaft and to the lower bearing frame I8, of the shaft l l', as shown in Figure 1, to hold a friction pulley 86 in frictional engagement of the edge of the lower disc 2|. The friction pulley frictionally engages a disc 8l' that is formed integral with the pulley 8| so that the delivery belt 80 is driven by the lower disc 2 l.

The shaft 33 is threaded at the upper end as shown at 88 to receive a nut 89 which may be loosened to permit the bar 82 to be swung on the shaft 83 as a pivot to vary the position of the belt on the lower disc 22.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

l. A bun slicing machine comprising bun grip ping discs arranged in facing relation and differentiated in surface contour, means for mounting said discs on a common axis of rotation to provide parallel bun gripping surfaces through part of a revolution and divergent surfaces through the remainder of the revolution, and a knife intermediately positioned between said discs in the zone of the parallel surfaces, and means for reciprocating said knife radially of said discs.

2. A bun slicing machine comprising bun gripping discs arranged in facing relation and differentiated in'surface contour, means for mounting said discs on a common axis of `rotation to provide parallel bun gripping surfaces through part of a revolution and divergent surfaces through the remainder of the revolution, and a knife intermediately positioned between said discs in the zone of the parallel surfaces, and adjustable means for varying the spacing between said discs without change in the intermediate position of the knife, and means for reciprocating said knife radially of said discs.

3. A bun slicing machine comprising bun gripping discs, one being canted With respect to the other and the other having a conical surface contour facing the fiat disc, means for mounting said discs on a common axis of rotation to provide parallel bun gripping surfaces through part of a revolution and divergent surfaces through the remainder of the revolution, mediately positioned between said discs in the Zone of the parallel surfaces, and means for reciprocating said knife radially of said discs.

4. A bun slicing machine comprising bun grip ping discs, one being canted with respect to the other and the other having a conical surface contour facing the flat disc, means for mounting said discs on a common axis of rotation to provide parallel bun gripping surfaces through part ofV a revolution and divergent surfaces through the remainder of the revolution, and a knife intermediately positioned between said discs in the zone of the parallel surfaces, and adjustable means for varying the spacing between said discs without change in theintermediate position of the knife, and means for reciprocating said knife radially of said discs.

ROBERT R. SPRINGER.

and a knife inter- 

